President Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday that one cause of the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 which killed 157 passengers, could be that "airplanes are becoming far too complex to fly." Perhaps predictably, the mocking responses from a number of Twitter users were swift to arrive.
The president continued that "pilots are no longer needed, but rather computer scientists from MIT. I see it all the time in many products. Always seeking to go one unnecessary step further, when often old and simpler is far better. Split second decisions are needed, and the complexity creates danger. All this cost for very little gain."
The crash was the second accident involving a Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane in the past few months, causing concern about the safety of the aircraft. The deadly crashes, both occurring within minutes of takeoff, have caused some to question the software onboard but no conclusions have been made. Some experts believe the planes' anti-stall systems cause the nose to tip downward but no aviation officials have called the technological advances on planes into question.
Trump continued on Twitter that "Split second decisions are needed, and the complexity creates danger. All of this for great cost yet very little gain. I don't know about you, but I don't want Albert Einstein to be my pilot. I want great flying professionals that are allowed to easily and quickly take control of a plane!"
The president has not yet offered public condolences to the eight Americans killed on the flight, although White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said yesterday that "our prayers to the loved ones, friends and family of those killed in the tragic crash."
Trump followed his tweet with a call to the CEO of Boeing, Dennis Muilenburg Tuesday. A spokesperson for Boeing said that Muilenburg, "made it clear he is absolutely confident in the safety of the airplanes." The rise of technology on airplanes has made flying much safer than it was in prior decades. The number of plane crashes and accidents have dropped significantly since the 1970s.
This isn't the first time the president has said he knows more than top officials in a subject. The president has long claimed to be an expert on topics that he has little expertise in. He has said that he knows more about drones "than anybody," more about Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker "than he knows about himself," he's a self-proclaimed expert on borders, the court system, business, money, taxes and more. It's a long list.
Twitter, of course, was quick with the reactions to the president's proclamation about aviation technology.
"Let's make aviation great again!" tweeted Bill Kristol, a conservative political analyst.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Nicole Goodkind is a political reporter with a focus on Congress. She previously worked as a reporter for Yahoo Finance, ... Read more
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